Upcoming Lectures

The Palisades Senior Alliance, although geared for seniors, has two programs this month that are definitely applicable to a wider audience. The first program, “Home Sharing,” addresses how a senior might be able to stay in his/her home longer with a roommate. The second covers “Help, I have too much stuff: Learning to Declutter.”

Both programs take place at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The programs are free and the public is welcome.

Monday, August 13, Miriam Hall, Home Share Program Manager for the nonprofit Affordable Living for the Aging (ALA), will speak about the program that matches two or more unrelated people typically older adults who may not wish to liv ealone, or cannot afford to do so, to share a home.

The roommate typically helps by paying for rent or by paying for services such as housekeeping and transportation. The program not only allows seniors to keep living independently, but also provides them with companionship.

Participants must be emotionally, physically and financially self-sufficient. ALA staff screens every applicant and participants rely on the organization to introduce them to appropriate roommate candidates. From there, clients decide with whom they want to live. ALA is involved for the lifetime of the housing match to assist the pair and to help resolve any issues that may arise.

Senior Alliance talks are held in Palisades Library community room.

“Help, I Have Too Much Stuff,” will be the program for August 27. Speakers Ellen Satkin and Polly Ross have facilitated the “From Collecting to Cluttering” workshop at WISE & Health Aging in Santa Monica for more than four years.

Issues challenges include: “Whether it is collections of memorabilia left over from years gone by, closets filled with clothes that we might need someday, piles of unopened mail, or a spare room filled with things that we’re not ready to give away quite yet, clutter is stressful. It’s disquieting to look around our spaces and see a messy world out of control. But thinking about getting organized can also produce anxiety.”

Satkin and Ross will suggest tools and approaches to address the problem.